Heart racing? Sweaty palms? Intrusive thoughts? Feeling frozen and like running away at the same time? Can a prayer for anxiety help calm you down?
The world offers countless methods and cures for anxiety. But when you’re struggling to catch a breath, how are you supposed to pray if you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed? You want to calm down. You want to feel better. You want to get back to a state of peace.
Thankfully, the Bible offers prayers for anxiety and is full of characters who experienced trauma, anxiety, depression, and overwhelm.
So, here are three simple steps to help you pray when you’re feeling anxious.
Listen to the Bible When You’re Feeling Anxious
When you’re feeling anxious to the point you can hardly speak, praying out loud can feel like going up a mountain you just can’t seem to climb. Thankfully, the Bible has several scriptures for anxiety and even prayers for when you feel anxious.
Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is a wonderful Bible verse for anxiety, and it can help you pray when you’re feeling anxious. However, if you’re feeling too overwhelmed to pray, listening to Psalm 23 on repeat is like water for your soul. God promises us rest, even in the darkest of circumstances.
Psalm 34
Reading Psalm 34 is a simple and effective way to pray when you’re anxious. Because the words in the Bible are alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword, these words in Psalm 34 get to the heart of the matter. In Psalm 34:4, David writes, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me. He delivered me out of all my fears!”
Even though it may feel counterintuitive to declare truth when it doesn’t feel true, reading and listening to the Bible is a profound way to confront fear and a simple way to pray when you’re anxious. Because what we listen to shapes what we believe, and what we believe shapes our world, reading, praying, and listening to Psalm 34 can bring peace and calm into our lives, even when we struggle to pray because of anxiety.
Related Post: Bible Verses for When You Feel Anxious or Worried
Romans 8
Romans 8 is a scripture to help you pray when you’re anxious, and it is full of Bible verses to help you when you’re feeling scared and overwhelmed. Romans 8 has Bible verses to help with anxiety, like Romans 8:28, which tells us that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8 also has Bible verses to help you pray when you’re anxious and don’t even have words. Romans 8:26 tells us that the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness, sometimes giving us prayers in the form of groanings that are too deep for words. If you’re wondering how to pray when you’re anxious, Romans 8 is a great place to receive truth, weep if you need to, and then declare God’s peace and purposes over your life.
Psalm 55
Psalm 55 is another great scripture to help you pray when you’re anxious. If you’re feeling so overwhelmed that you find it hard to pray or even hard to speak, Psalm 55:22 speaks directly to you. It reads:
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
– Psalm 55:22
When the Bible tells the anxious hearts to cast their burdens onto Jesus, it’s not like throwing a softball at God. It’s more like hitting a pillow with all your might. If you’re searching, “How do I pray when I’m anxious?” Sometimes prayer looks like giving every worry, every fear, and every doubt to God. Confession and honesty before God is a form of prayer. As you’re working up the strength to be fully honest before God, listen to Psalm 55 to hear just how honest King David was before God:
Learn more about prayer and how to cast your burdens on God in our FREE e-Book: Let’s Talk About Prayer
Psalm 91
Psalm 91 is one of the most incredible Bible verses to pray when you’re anxious. Even if you’re struggling to open your mouth and pray, listening to Psalm 91 is like the relief of rain after a hot summer day. Psalm 91 is a psalm that talks about the benefits of making the Lord your refuge. And in Psalm 91:11-12, the Bible tells us that God commands His angels concerning us. This psalm is incredible news to the anxious heart. Listening to Psalm 91 on repeat can be an antidote to anxiety that rewires your brain with the truth of God at the same time.
Psalm 94
Psalm 94 is a psalm that can be helpful to read, pray, or listen to when you’re feeling anxious. The Psalm starts out with direct, unflinching language around the evils in the world. Then is Psalm 94:9, the writer says,
He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge – the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.
– Psalm 94:9-11
Bible verses for anxiety and scriptures to help you pray when you’re anxious remind us of God’s awesome character and promises of nearness. God made the ear; He hears every prayer. God made the eye; He sees what you’re going through. God knows what isn’t right in your life; He will confront it and make wrong things right. God knows every thought you’re having, and He wants to give you peace for today and hope for the future.
Related Post: Bible Verses to Help You Through Hard Times
Psalm 46
When anxiety feels so intense that you can barely speak, Psalm 46 is like a weighted blanket to bring calm to your soul. Renewing your mind with the Psalms and choosing to believe the truth of God’s word is like shoveling snow off of a driveway in the winter. When you start doing so, you may feel like you’re getting nowhere. But before you know it, you have a clear driveway. The same is so with our minds. Praying when you’re anxious can be as simple as renewing your mind with Psalm 46 and other Bible verses for when you’re anxious.
Learn more about how to meditate on the word of God: Bible Verses About Meditation
Psalm 56
When you experience fear, anxiety, overwhelm, and the worries of life, Psalm 56 is a great psalm to help you overcome anxiety and enter back into a place of prayer. Psalm 56 tells us that God is aware of all of our tossing and turning, and He sees every tear we’ve ever cried. So, when you’re feeling so anxious that you can’t even pray, know that God is with you in the unseen, leading you to Himself and the peace He offers.
Psalm 131
If you’re searching for the answer to the question, “How do I pray when I’m anxious?” Psalm 131 is a short and direct answer to that question. Psalm 131 tells us not to occupy ourselves with things that are too high or marvelous for us. Sometimes anxiety stems from our circumstances, whereas other times it grows because of the state of the world. Instead of ruminating on things you can’t control, Psalm 131 instructs us to calm and quiet our souls, like a baby with its mother.
Related Post: How Do I Trust God When The World is Falling Apart?
Psalm 103
Praying when you’re anxious can feel like running up a never-ending hill. But thankfully, Psalm 103 speaks directly to the heart of anxiety and invites us into gratitude instead. God is so gracious, so awesome, and every breath we’ve ever breathed comes from Him. So, if you’re struggling to breathe because of anxiety, you can ask God, “Give me calm breathing the way you designed it to be.” May Psalm 103 and the promises of God’s goodness and kindness towards you bring peace to your mind, body, and soul.
Related Post: God’s Promises for You
Invite a Friend to Pray With You
If you’re struggling to pray because of anxiety, it’s essential that you let someone know. Anxiety can feel debilitating and constant, but there’s instant comfort that comes when you realize you’re not alone. Whether you decide to confide in a friend, mentor, pastor, or family member, you will find relief and guidance as you let someone in to your experience.
The person you’re reaching out to has probably experienced anxiety in their life, too. Asking a friend to pray with you or pray for you when you’re experiencing anxiety is going to help get you on your feet and give you hope for the new season.
Wondering how to build Christian community? Learn more in our blog: Pursue Community
Seek a Christian Counselor
There is no shame in seeking a Christian counselor for anxiety, fear, worry, or depression. A Christian counselor will help you to identify the root cause of your anxiety and walk alongside you as you heal. Plus, a Christian counselor will give you tools to help calm your body during intense moments of anxiety, like panic attacks or dissociation.
For a list of Christian counselors in your area, head to Focus on the Family’s counselor directory: Christian Counselors Network
If anxiety or depression is causing you to want to harm yourself, please call or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline- at any hour — or text HOME or HOLA to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor.
Conclusion
We hope these Bible verses for anxiety and tools on how to pray when you’re anxious have provided you with peace and perspective for the days ahead. The pain you’re experiencing won’t last forever. The Bible assures us that God has good plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, and plans that are for your good (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
For more tools on how to live out your everyday faith as you’re overcoming waves of anxiety, head to the Everyday Faith Podcast on YouTube:
